xii, 251 pages : 24 cm

"A few lawsuits have changed the entire shape of the computer industry as nearly every aspect of computers has come under litigation. These courtroom battles have confused not only computer and legal amateurs, but lawyers, juries, and judges as well. The result has been illogical legal opinions and many reversals on appeal leaving an environment where the outcome of the next key legal battle is not only unpredictable but could change the industry's direction yet again. Graham surveys the past and shows how it points to the future, offering enough substance to introduce lawyers unfamiliar with intellectual property law to the evolving laws of this dynamic and contentious industry. No prior legal background is needed to understand Graham's presentation, however."--BOOK JACKET

Includes bibliographical references (page 245) and index

1. Introduction -- I. Hardware, Software, and the Law. 2. Legal Protection for Hardware and Software: A Primer. 3. Can I go to Jail for this? -- II. Control of Screen Displays. 4. Video Game Wars. 5. The Icon Explosion. 6. Font Fights: Attempts to Own the Alphabet -- III. User Interface Battles. 7. The Big Deal with Look and Feel. 8. Keyboard Commands and Menu Arrangements. 9. Data Entry Formats -- IV. Clashes over Code. 10. Copying Operating Systems. 11. Code Structure, Sequence, and Organization. 12. Who Owns Programming Languages? 13. Efforts to Control Data and Databases -- V. Special Strategic Issues. 14. Subversive Techniques: Reverse Engineering. 15. Is Shrink-Wrap Licensing a Dud? 16. Trademarks. 17. Stockpiling Internet Domain Names. 18. The Next Weapon: Software Patents -- VI. Hardware Battles. 19. Computer Chip Wars. 20. Hardware and Software Enhancement Devices. 21. Peripheral Devices -- VII. Future Battles. 22. The Year 2000 Problem. 23. Free Software. 24. Conclusion -- Appendixes: Selected Intellectual Property Statutes. App. A. Selected Patent Laws. App. B. Selected U.S. Trademark Laws. App. C. Selected Copyright Laws. App. D. The Uniform Trade Secrets Act. App. E. Economic Espionage Act of 1996

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